Disney Chairman Says Marvel Movies "Will Go On Forever"

Marvel currently has a whopping 14 future films announced, starting with Civil War in May and ending with three as-yet-untitled films in 2020. And although there's been a lot of talk lately about superhero fatigue, comic book movies, and especially Marvel movies, keep knocking it out of the park at the box office. But will this success continue indefinitely, or is the superhero bubble about to pop? Disney chairman Bob Iger is optimistic (as he would be), and claims that the franchise could really last forever.

"Marvel, you're dealing with thousands and thousands of characters - that will go on forever," Iger told BBC Newsbeat.

When asked if he thought their viewers were experiencing fatigue, Iger speculated that their winning streak would continue so long as they keep finding ways to make it feel fresh.

"No, I don't think they're getting weary," says Bob Iger. "But I think we keep raising the bar in terms of telling stories that bring them back, that excite them, that make it feel new and that is what we do for a living."

Iger is probably right on that front, although there is a question of whether the Marvel franchises will continue to feel new and different. They have their formula so down pat at this point, it's difficult to imagine anything as delightfully weird and random coming out of the MCU as Guardians of the Galaxy at this point (although Doctor Strange sounds pretty weird so far, to be fair). Introducing more diverse characters should help, with films like Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and even Ant-Man and the Wasp, but Age of Ultron and Ant-Man both had a fatigued feel to them. Only time will tell whether Marvel, like Star Wars, is a "forever franchise."